+961 8 900 047

lari@lari.gov.lb

LARI-LEB

Fanar

Climate & Water Unit

About

The Climate and Water Unit was established by LARI in 2011 at Fanar Station. 

The main objective is to enhance sustainable use of water resources in Lebanon while considering the challenges of climate variability and change, water scarcity and pollution.

The Unit works on testing and promoting technological know-how in water saving and land conservation in local environments.

The specific objectives are related to the following thematic areas:

  • Water use efficiency and water productivity;
  • On-farm irrigation systems performance;
  • Crop water modeling and use of ICT tools in agriculture;
  • Use of non-conventional water resources in agriculture;
  • Early warning systems for irrigation management;
  • Sustainable use and management of soils;
  • Impact of climate change on agriculture and possible adaptation measures.

Staff

  • Head of the Unit: Marie Therese Abi Saab - PhD/ Irrigation and Agronomy (mtabisaab@lari.gov.lb)
  • Research assistant: Salim Fahed (Agricultural engineer)
  • Technical assistant: Ali Haj Hassan

Projects

  • FAO Project ‘Improved Water Resources Monitoring System/Integrated Water ResourcesManagement at regional level in Lebanon’ - GCP/LEB/029/SWI (Duration: from 2018 to 2021).
  • Project with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) on ‘Wastewater Reuse in theMENA Region: Addressing the Challenges’ (Duration: from 2018 to 2021).
  • EU project ‘EO – TIME project ‘’Earth Observation Technologies for Irrigation in MediterraneanEnvironments’’ - ERANETMED3-055’ (Duration: from 2018 to 2021).
  • FAO Project ‘GDCP/LEB/001/ITA: Irrigation modernization in the caza of Marjayoun’ (Duration:from 2013 to 2015).
  • EU Project ” Adaptation to Climate Change of the Mediterranean Agricultural Systems”-ACLIMAS- (ENPI/2011/269-668) (Duration: from 2012 to 2015).
  • FAO project: GCP/INT/124/ITA “Coping with water scarcity – the role of agriculture. Phase III:Strengthening national capacities” (Duration: from 2012 to 2015).

Publications

  • Marie Therese Abi Saab, Mohamed Houssemeddine Sellami, Pasquale Giorio, Angelo Basile,Antonello Bonfante, Youssef Rouphael, Salim Fahed, Ihab Jomaa, Chafic Stephan, Rabih Kabalan,Randa Massaad, Mladen Todorovic, Rossella Albrizio, 2019. Assessing the Potential of CerealProduction Systems to Adapt to Contrasting Weather Conditions in the Mediterranean Region.Agronomy 9, 393-414.
  • Abi Saab, M.T., Jomaa, I., Skaf, S., Fahed, S., Todorovic, M. 2019. Assessment of a SmartphoneApplication for Real-Time Irrigation Scheduling in Mediterranean Environments. Water, 11, 252-270; doi:10.3390/w11020252.
  • Ihab Jomaa, Marie Therese Abi Saab, Sleiman Skaf, Nisrine El Haj, Randa Massaad. Variability inSpatial Distribution of Precipitation Overall Rugged Topography of Lebanon, Using TRMMImages. Atmospheric and Climate Sciences, 9, 2019, 369-380.https://doi.org/10.4236/acs.2019.93026.
  • Marie Therese Abi Saab, Doha Jammoul, Hassane Makhlouf, Salim Fahed, Nada Lebbous, Celine Hajjar, Roula Abi Saad, Mohamed Younes, Mohamad Hajj, Mladen Todorovic, 2018. Assessing the performance of constructed wetland for water quality management of a SouthernMediterranean river. Water and Environment Journal, 508-518. Print ISSN 1747-6585.
  • Majida Mcheik, Joumana Toufaily, Tayssir Hamieh, Marie Therese Abi Saab, Bachar Haj Hassan,Youssef Rouphael, 2018. Configuration of Spinach Heavy Metals Accumulation in Response toTreated Water, Irrigation Systems and Growing Seasons. International Journal of AgricultureInnovations and Research 7, 2319-1473.
  • Majida Mcheik, Joumana Toufaily, Mariam Akel, Tayssir Hamieh, Marie Therese Abi Saab,Bachar Haj Hassan, Youssef Rouphael, 2018. Reuse of Treated Municipal Wastewater underDifferent Growing Seasons for the Spinach Production. American Journal of Analytical Chemistry9, 482-499.
  • A. Bonfante, M.H. Sellami, M.T. Abi Saab, R. Albrizio, A. Basile, S. Fahed, P. Giorio, G. Langella, E.Monaco, J. Bouma (2017). The role of soils in the analysis of potential agricultural production: Acase study in Lebanon. Agricultural Systems 156, 67-75.
  • Majida Mcheik, Joumana Toufaily, Bachar Haj Hassan, Tayssir Hamieh, Marie Therese Abi Saab,Youssef Rouphael, Enrico Ferracin, Berardo da shio, Ibrahim Bashabshah and Luna Al Hadidi(2017). Reuse of treated municipal wastewater in irrigation: a case study from Lebanon andJordan. Water and Environment Journal 31, 552-558.
  • Marie Therese Abi Saab, Mladen Todorovic and Rossella Albrizio, 2015. Comparing AquaCrop and CropSyst models in simulating barley growth under different water and Nitrogen regimes.Does calibration year influence the performance of crop growth models? Agricultural Water Management, 147: 21-33.
  • Abi Saab MT., Albrizio R., Nangia V., Karam F., Rouphael Y., 2014. Developing scenarios to assess sunflower and soybean yield under different sowing dates and water regimes in the Bekaa valley(Lebanon): Simulations with Aquacrop. International Journal of Plant Production 8: 457-482.
  • Marie Therese Abi Saab, Rossella Albrizio, Musa Nimah, Pasquale Giorio, Mohamed Houssemeddine Sellami, Suzi Rouphael, Ihab Jomaa, Randa Massaad, Salim Fahed, RabihKabalan, Chafic Stephan, Marica Abi Nader, 2013. Adapting to climate change: testing possible measures to stabilize wheat and barley yields in a Mediterranean environment. CIGR-Inter-Regional Conference on Environment-Water. Bari (Italy), 10-14 September, 2013.
  • Marie Therese Abi Saab, Mladen Todorovic and Rossella Albrizio, 2013. Comparing AquaCrop and CropSyst models in simulating barley growth under different water and Nitrogen regimes.Does calibration year influence the performance of crop growth models? CIGR-Inter-Regional Conference on Environment-Water. Bari (Italy), 10-14 September, 2013.
  • Todorovic M., Albrizio R., Zivotic L., Abi Saab M.T., Stöckle C.O., and Steduto P., 2009.Assessment of AquaCrop, CropSyst and WOFOST Models in the Simulation of Sunflower GrowthUnder Different Water Regimes. Agronomy Journal, 101: 509-521.
  • Asseng S., Milroy S., Bassu S. and Abi Saab M.T., 2012. Book Chapter: WHEAT. In: Crop yieldresponse to water: FAO Irrigation and Drainage Paper 66 (Edited by Pasquale Steduto, TheodoreC. Hsiao, Elias Fereres and Dirk Raes). Pages 92-100. FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATIONOF UN, Rome.
  • Bonfante A., Abi MT., Sellami M.H., Orefice N., Giorio P., Albrizio R., 2015. L’effetto della vaiabilita del suolo sui risultati delle sperimentazioni di campo: il caso studio del frumento edell’orzo nella valle del Bekaa (Libano). 40o Congresso Nazionale SISS- Societa Italiana DellaScienza Del Suolo. Roma, 1-3 Dicembre 2015.
  • Abi Saab MT, Azar N, Chalfoun G, Albrizio R, Nimah M, Giorio P, Selemi MH, Fahed S, RouphaelS, 2014. Adaptation to climate change of cereal farming systems of the Bekaa valley, Lebanon.IRLA2014 International Symposium, 26-28 November, Patras, Greece.
  • Bou Harb J., Abi Saab MT, Fahed S, 2014. Effect of different irrigation regimes on grapevine yield and wine quality of a Monastrell cultivar grown in the Bekaa valley, Lebanon. IHC.Brisbane, 17-22 August 2014.
  • Mladen Todorovic, Vito Buono, Marie Therese Abi Saab, Donatella Spano, 2011. Assessing the impact of climate change on agricultural water demand in Mediterranean environments. ASCE,ESRI.

Technical Reports

  • August 2017. Background report on “Prospects for improving food availability through increased agricultural production and productivity”. In: ARAB HORIZON 2030: Prospects for EnhancingFood Security in the Arab Region. Report prepared for ESCWA and FAO, 2017.
  • April 2016. FAO report on the reuse of treated wastewater in Lebanon. GCP/INT/124/ITA“Coping with water scarcity – the role of agriculture. Phase III: Strengthening national capacities”. Available in english and Arabic.
  • December 2015. MoEW/UNDP report on “Assessment of Groundwater Resources of Lebanon.September 2015. Report on ‘’Biophysical baseline and background summary for green sectors and for water in the Orontes Watershed in Lebanon’’. Project: Climate Change Adaptation Solutions for the Green Sectors of Selected Zones in the NENA Region (ASG-NENA). Countries:Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon. FAO and GIZ in Collaboration with ESCWA and ACSAD. MarieTherese Abi Saab, Fawzi Karajeh and Pasquale Steduto, 2015.